The National Park Service is set to receive a donation of 87,500 acres of pristine land in the Maine Woods from a non-profit organization started by the founder of Burt’s Bees, which would be used to designate a new national monument and, eventually, a new national park.1

But Republican Rep. Rob Bishop and the group of anti-conservation, right-wing extremists he leads in the House of Representatives have decided to set their sights on this new monument as their latest target in their long-running war on America’s national parks and public lands.

Bishop, a Utah congressman who’s become the figurehead of Congress’ anti-parks movement, even traveled to Maine last week to hold a sham hearing in his effort to block this transfer.2 He and his “anti-parks” caucus are using this as an opportunity to continue their war against the Antiquities Act, which has allowed presidents – for over a hundred years – to designate new national monuments. We have to make sure they make absolutely no progress in this destructive, ideological crusade.

Tell Congress: Do not block the new Maine Woods national monument. Click here to sign the petition.

The area of land that would be transferred is known to be a vital habitat for several threatened and endangered species, while also offering unparalleled views of Mt. Katahdin for potential visitors. And local business leaders have hailed the potential economic benefits of adding the land to the national park system.

Protecting and setting aside this land has overwhelming support in Maine, with two-thirds of Maine residents supporting the creation of a new national park.3

But that hasn’t stopped Rep. Bishop, who hails from Utah and has no connection to Maine, from inserting himself into the matter in an attempt to further his campaign against the Antiquities Act, which is responsible for creating many of our national treasures including the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Chimney Rock National Monument in Colorado. Sixteen presidents have used the law to designate national monuments, and it’s often the first step toward creating a national park – the Grand Canyon was first designated a monument under the Antiquities Act by Theodore Roosevelt.

Stopping Bishop and his anti-parks caucus now would be another significant blow against their campaign to block the creation of national parks and monuments and dismantle America’s system of land and water conservation. We need to show them that their ideological crusade will never get any traction.

Tell Congress: Do not block the new Maine Woods national monument. Click here to sign the petition.